CLINTON, S.C. – The Presbyterian College football team fell to Florida Tech, 28-7, on Saturday night at Bailey Memorial Stadium in the home opener for the Blue Hose. The Panthers remain perfect on the season at 4-0, while PC drops to 1-3 before opening conference play in two weeks.

"Turnovers played a part in tonight’s outcome, for sure. Going into this game, I knew that Florida Tech was a quality opponent and a well-coached football team with a lot of good players and our margin of error was going to be small. We went one-for-five in the red zone and that hurt us. You have to come away with points there. We missed a field goal and the pick six was a big turning point. We gave up some big plays on defense, especially on third down, which is something we haven’t really done a lot of. We didn’t do that last week. All the credit goes to Florida Tech. They’re a really good football team and they deserved to win the football game.”

Turning Point

With PC driving early in the fourth quarter, Florida Tech’s Jo Jackson intercepted a pass and returned it 83 yards for a touchdown to make it a 28-7 game, after the PAT. It was Jackson’s second interception in the game and provided the knock out blow for FIT.

How It Happened

Florida Tech found the endzone on its opening drive of the game with a nine-play, 86-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Trevor Sand. The Panthers added to the lead at the end of the second quarter on a 39-yard pass from Mark Cato to Antwuan Haynes to give FIT a 14-0 halftime advantage.

The Panthers added a score early in the third quarter, as Kenny Johnson hauled in a pass from Cato for 82 yards and the score to push the advantage to 21-0. PC would respond with an eight-play, 86-yard drive capped off by a 10-yard touchdown from Will Brock to DarQuez Watson to cut the lead to 21-7. Jackson’s interception later in the quarter squashed a potential Blue Hose drive and put the game out of reach.

Stat of the Game

Presbyterian threw for 330 yards as a team in tonight’s game, its most since October 18, 2008 when the Blue Hose threw for 382 against Gardner-Webb. PC also attempt 63 passes in the game, its most as a team in the program’s Division I era.

Offensive Leader

Dashawn Davis totaled 12 receptions for 129 receiving yards, both career highs, to lead the PC offense on the night. Davis tied the PC Division I record for receptions in a game with the 12, matching the mark set by Terrance Butler against Appalachian State in 2008. He is also the first player with at least 100 receiving yards since Tobi Antigha had 136 receiving yards against Coastal Carolina in 2013. Additionally, he had a 33-yard reception in the game, the longest of his career. The second-year starter added 81 kickoff return yards for 201 all-purpose yards.

Defensive Standout

Kenneth Coleman recorded the first interception of his career in the first half of tonight’s game. Coleman added three tackles, including a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup to go with the INT that led to a PC field goal attempt.

Offensive Highlights

- Will Brock, making his second straight start at QB, completed 28-of-52 passes for a career-high 275 yards and a touchdown. That is the most passing yards by a PC quarterback since Heys McMath threw for 322 yards against VMI in 2013.

- Darrell Bridges caught a career-high seven passes for 43 yards, also a career high. Bridges also rushed 16 times for 67 yards for a total of 123 all-purpose yards.

- Cedric Frazier caught three passes for 42 yards, both career highs in his third game as a Blue Hose.

- John Walker saw his first career action at quarterback and completed 6-of-11 passes for 55 yards. He was the second PC QB to make his first career appearance this season.